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zbarvian

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Jul 23, 2011
2,004
2
After using the iPad for about 2 years now, I've come to dislike iOS on the iPad. I have a screen that could fit 4 iPhones on it, and yet an interface that has little more utility than my iPhone.

My main gripes with the system are:

1) Multitasking bar - why can't I get a mission control view or a screenshot view?
2) Home screen - far more information could fit on the home screen, not just another extra row of static icons and wide gaps of wasted space
3) Portrait mode - often is just a stretched iPhone screen, only in landscape do you get the two-paned view
4) No iPad exclusives or enhanced offerings - iWork was once only available on the iPad and it worked with the large screen, but now I don't know of any app made just for the iPad that grants it any unique functionality

And more. The iPad is essentially a luxury item and a "big iPod touch." I'm looking forward to Windows 8 tablets that retain the sleek tablet form factor but package a full PC experience with them. Anyone else have quibbles with iOS on the iPad?
 

Orange Furball

macrumors 65816
May 18, 2012
1,325
6
Scranton, PA, USA
After using the iPad for about 2 years now, I've come to dislike iOS on the iPad. I have a screen that could fit 4 iPhones on it, and yet an interface that has little more utility than my iPhone.

My main gripes with the system are:

1) Multitasking bar - why can't I get a mission control view or a screenshot view?
2) Home screen - far more information could fit on the home screen, not just another extra row of static icons and wide gaps of wasted space
3) Portrait mode - often is just a stretched iPhone screen, only in landscape do you get the two-paned view
4) No iPad exclusives or enhanced offerings - iWork was once only available on the iPad and it worked with the large screen, but now I don't know of any app made just for the iPad that grants it any unique functionality

And more. The iPad is essentially a luxury item and a "big iPod touch." I'm looking forward to Windows 8 tablets that retain the sleek tablet form factor but package a full PC experience with them. Anyone else have quibbles with iOS on the iPad?

Then don't use it. It works for many people. Also, it is much more capable than an iPod touch. You have Windows tablets, Android tablets, Linux tablets, Web OS tablets, etc.
 

szw-mapple fan

macrumors 68040
Jul 28, 2012
3,451
4,299
After using the iPad for about 2 years now, I've come to dislike iOS on the iPad. I have a screen that could fit 4 iPhones on it, and yet an interface that has little more utility than my iPhone.

My main gripes with the system are:

1) Multitasking bar - why can't I get a mission control view or a screenshot view?
2) Home screen - far more information could fit on the home screen, not just another extra row of static icons and wide gaps of wasted space
3) Portrait mode - often is just a stretched iPhone screen, only in landscape do you get the two-paned view
4) No iPad exclusives or enhanced offerings - iWork was once only available on the iPad and it worked with the large screen, but now I don't know of any app made just for the iPad that grants it any unique functionality

And more. The iPad is essentially a luxury item and a "big iPod touch." I'm looking forward to Windows 8 tablets that retain the sleek tablet form factor but package a full PC experience with them. Anyone else have quibbles with iOS on the iPad?


I guess you like android better huh?:rolleyes::rolleyes:

yeah window 8 is coming out but I don't think it'll be a big hit. consumers will be wondering if it's a tablet or computer with metro.

If you hate simplicity just get another tablet for Pete's sake!


:apple:
 

zbarvian

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Jul 23, 2011
2,004
2
Thanks for the informative/insightful comments guys!

No but really, get a life. If you're just going to try grouping me into the Android aficionado camp then don't respond. I have criticism for the iPad and am curious if others have similar issues.

How is it more capable than an iPod touch? And when did I ever even hint that I "hate simplicity"? Don't be so vacuous.
 

Skika

macrumors 68030
Mar 11, 2009
2,999
1,246
And more. The iPad is essentially a luxury item and a "big iPod touch." I'm looking forward to Windows 8 tablets that retain the sleek tablet form factor but package a full PC experience with them. Anyone else have quibbles with iOS on the iPad?

This is horrible. Tablets should be tablets. Leave it to Microsoft to not realize that and stick the good ol ways of doin things on modern tablets.
 

zbarvian

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Jul 23, 2011
2,004
2
This is horrible. Tablets should be tablets. Leave it to Microsoft to not realize that and stick the good ol ways of doin things on modern tablets.

I'm still very skeptical of Windows 8 but you seem a little misguided. The Full PC experience doesn't entail tiny UI elements, clunky controls, and bloated systems. I'm not talking about the traditional PC or OSX. Microsoft has made a modern, touch-friendly UI that has the same elegance and simplicity of iOS but with the power of a full-blown PC. Also, I'm talking more of Windows RT than Windows 8 Pro.
 

Orange Furball

macrumors 65816
May 18, 2012
1,325
6
Scranton, PA, USA
Thanks for the informative/insightful comments guys!

No but really, get a life. If you're just going to try grouping me into the Android aficionado camp then don't respond. I have criticism for the iPad and am curious if others have similar issues.

How is it more capable than an iPod touch? And when did I ever even hint that I "hate simplicity"? Don't be so vacuous.

You're welcome!

Why should we get a life? You should figure out what a tablet is and what it should be used for. A tablet is an internet device. When browsing it will mostly go to normal desktop styled pages, while an iPod touch or similar device goes to a mobile friendly site. A tablet also can fit more information on its screen due to extra screen space. This is why there are iPad only apps. I'm not sure of the number exactly, but it has to be in the thousands. A tablet is a device between a desktop and a phone or internet device. It can do almost everything an iPod touch can do, and more. Your needs may not be anything that an iPod touch can't do, therefore you see it as doing the same tasks as an iPod touch and thinking its a giant iPod touch. Its not. Its a tablet. Different. Okay?

I don't want to sound rude, but clearly you don't know the true potential of your device. I'm an Android guy but I still see why an iPad is better than an iPod touch.
 
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APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
I will agree to a point that Apple has underutilized the iPad's larger display. Though countless jailbreak tweaks have demonstrated that iOS itself isn't really the limiting factor.
 

zbarvian

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Jul 23, 2011
2,004
2
You're welcome!

Why should we get a life? You should figure out what a tablet is and what it should be used for. A tablet is an internet device. When browsing it will mostly go to normal desktop styled pages, while an iPod touch or similar device goes to a mobile friendly site. A tablet also can fit more information on its screen due to extra screen space. This is why there are iPad only apps. I'm not sure of the number exactly, but it has to be in the thousands. A tablet is a device between a desktop and a phone or internet device. It can do almost everything an iPod touch can do, and more. Your needs may not be anything that an iPod touch can't do, therefore you see it as doing the same tasks as an iPod touch and thinking its a giant iPod touch. Its not. Its a tablet. Different. Okay?

I don't want to sound rude, but clearly you don't know the true potential of your device. I'm an Android guy but I still see why an iPad is better than an iPod touch.

I totally disagree with the notion that a tablet is an "Internet device." And your line about being an intermediate device is straight out of Apple's marketing playbook but isn't backed by any evidence. For some (artists, off the top of my head) the iPad is infinitely more useful. But for others it's nothing more than a super comfortable iPod touch with more screen real estate.

APlotDevice, could you clarify what you mean by iOS not being the limiting factor?
 

taipan61

macrumors 6502
May 18, 2011
373
0
corner starbucks
i find that ios is somewhat "binding" but i find that with ics and jb also. all os's have a point where they are limited but i find that sometimes it's the operator that limits them, with any os i don't spend time on the desktop, i don't paste pretty pictures or add widgets...for me it's strictly a gateway to an app.
and if i find an app limiting i try to find another or just put up with it until something better comes along

i do see you point (op) and after playing with win8 beta i do want to see what it can do when coupled with good hardware
 

Orange Furball

macrumors 65816
May 18, 2012
1,325
6
Scranton, PA, USA
I totally disagree with the notion that a tablet is an "Internet device." And your line about being an intermediate device is straight out of Apple's marketing playbook but isn't backed by any evidence. For some (artists, off the top of my head) the iPad is infinitely more useful. But for others it's nothing more than a super comfortable iPod touch with more screen real estate.

APlotDevice, could you clarify what you mean by iOS not being the limiting factor?

While the iPad and all tablets have some people that use them more than a computer, most people need a work horse of a computer, a phone, and a tablet for things that a phone can't do but you don't need your computer for. In between. Despite what Apple tells you, I guarantee a large percentage of iPad users have both a computer and a smartphone too. Everyone I know with a tablet have a computer and phone + an iPod or MP3 player of some sort.
 

CNeufeld

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2009
938
515
Edmonton, AB
After using the iPad for about 2 years now, I've come to dislike iOS on the iPad. I have a screen that could fit 4 iPhones on it, and yet an interface that has little more utility than my iPhone.

My main gripes with the system are:

1) Multitasking bar - why can't I get a mission control view or a screenshot view?
2) Home screen - far more information could fit on the home screen, not just another extra row of static icons and wide gaps of wasted space
3) Portrait mode - often is just a stretched iPhone screen, only in landscape do you get the two-paned view
4) No iPad exclusives or enhanced offerings - iWork was once only available on the iPad and it worked with the large screen, but now I don't know of any app made just for the iPad that grants it any unique functionality

And more. The iPad is essentially a luxury item and a "big iPod touch." I'm looking forward to Windows 8 tablets that retain the sleek tablet form factor but package a full PC experience with them. Anyone else have quibbles with iOS on the iPad?

I sold my iPad 2 when the Transformer Prime came out, and switched over to Android. Then about 2 weeks later, sold my Transformer Prime and switched back to an iPad. Android on a tablet was much weaker (for what I used it for) than iOS on an iPad. Even fewer applications were optimized for tablet usage under Android.

A number of applications I use regularly are optimized to provide additional functionality on an iPad. News and sports apps, Engadget, Dropbox... They may not provide "unique functionality", but they do a much better job of utilizing the extra display size compared to the more ulitarian iPhone version.

In general, no, I don't have many quibbles with iOS on my iPad. Sure, I wish that more apps came in an iOS enhanced version. But it beats the alternatives that I tried. Maybe Windows 8 tablets will be better, but it will likely take a long time to get the same library of "useful" apps to me, I think. Of course, as a software developer who lives in Visual Studio, maybe this is my big chance... :)

Clint
 

APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
APlotDevice, could you clarify what you mean by iOS not being the limiting factor?

I mean iOS itself is quite flexible, being built on the same Darwin core as OSX after all. Its limitations exist only only because Apple choose to put them there. If they wanted to give the iPad mission control, for example, they could.
 

Redjericho

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2011
815
0
I'm not sure exactly what you want here...

You told us what bothered you, and we told you android did not have any of those "problems" so you might as well try it out, and you responded with "go to hell".

Apple doesn't offer features on the springboard because they want iOS to be nothing more than an extremely optimized and efficient way of launching apps. When you turn iOS into something more than an overhyped app-launch platform, it starts to steal much more RAM and processing power, resulting in apps that perform poorly.

Android's OS has obvious lag (that is probably the first thing many apple users think of when they hear "android"), but it does offer more functionality.

Obviously there will not be many "iPad exclusives". The iPhone/iPod market outnumber the iPad market 5:1. It would be horrible business sense to make an app only for 20% of iOS users, when you could make it for the 80% with a smaller screen (that's not to say there are 0 iPad exclusives, it's just the reason there are so few). If apple were to add the next ultra-innovative new feature to only the iPad, the anger would be enough to noticeably damage their sales. It's not like the iPod has any exclusive features over the iPad, so how does that make the iPad worse?

You call the iPad an "oversized iPod touch", well that is exactly what it is. If you can't see the many benefits of the larger screen (watching movies, reading books, browsing the Internet, typing, landscape mode, etc), there is no reason to get one, stick with an iPod.

There is no landscape orientation on the iPod because it would look terrible. Two lines of apps smashed end-to-end across your screen would not be visually acceptable for Apple's standards. What benefits does landscape have when launching apps anyways?
 
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ManicMarc

macrumors 6502
Jul 1, 2012
487
149
iOS is not perfect but it's after using the latest incarnation of Android today on a Nexus 7, I can tell you it's the best out there (Windows 8 maybe better but I've not used it much yet).
 

BaldiMac

macrumors G3
Jan 24, 2008
8,745
10,845
I'm still very skeptical of Windows 8 but you seem a little misguided. The Full PC experience doesn't entail tiny UI elements, clunky controls, and bloated systems. I'm not talking about the traditional PC or OSX. Microsoft has made a modern, touch-friendly UI that has the same elegance and simplicity of iOS but with the power of a full-blown PC. Also, I'm talking more of Windows RT than Windows 8 Pro.

Except the "modern, touch-friendly UI that has the same elegance and simplicity of iOS" has mostly the same limitations as iOS and a tiny fraction of the software support. The part "with the power of a full-blown PC" aka "Full PC experience" still entails "tiny UI elements, clunky controls, and bloated systems."
 
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